Abstract

This investigation explored knowledge acquisition and transfer practice in the Egyptian software firms. It used a combination of a cross-sectional field survey of 38 firms and an in-depth qualitative analysis of 14 firms. Although most of the firms in the sample recognized the importance of knowledge, their idiosyncrasies appeared to affect the way knowledge is acquired and transferred. The firms were found to have a limited use of their software developers’ initiatives, R&D, and the academic and research institutions as sources for knowledge acquisition. They were also found to have limited capabilities in transferring and sharing knowledge. The Egyptian culture is rich in the social and emotional capital, which can play an important role in building relationships, facilitating the exchange of knowledge, and sharing of experience. Egyptian software firms should develop and implement KM strategies that attract expert software developers, capitalize on trust and social relationships, and build IT-based KM systems in order to enable knowledge acquisition and transfer.